Wow, 20 trips to write about today! While some groups’ adventures are coming to a close, others are still in the midst of their journeys via bike, boat, or boot. Whether it’s sea kayaking off the coast of Maine, climbing a glacier in Alaska, or backpacking in Spain, there’s nothing an Apogee student can’t do. Read below to learn all about what these impressive students were up to on Day 46 of the Apogee summer!

Skip to a Specific Trip: MCJ, CI, NEMCA, NEMCB, CRM, CS, MCCE, MCP, DEX, VMA, VMB, CRMC, CMC, AKMCA, AKMCB, NWX, PC, AXA, AXB, PMC

Maine Coast Junior (MCJ)

After a day of exploring Acadia’s hiking trails yesterday, MCJ navigated the famous National Park by bike today! This adventurous bunch biked along Acadia’s famous carriage roads, truly taking advantage of all the park has to offer. They spent the rest of their day exploring the adorable town of Bar Harbor and savoring their final day on the island!

 

Cape Cod & the Islands (CI)

These bikers took a shorter route today and headed to the bay for their SUP (stand-up paddleboarding) adventure! After trading in their biking helmets for lifejackets, they spent most of the day exploring Cape Cod via paddleboard and thankfully the weather was nice and sunny for their time on the water. To top the whole day off, they celebrated one of the leaders’ birthdays today! Happy birthday, Hannah!

 

New England Mountains & Coast A (NEMCA)

NEMCA took full advantage of the warm weather that New Hampshire enjoyed today! This adventurous group hiked to Arethusa Falls, one of the tallest waterfalls in New Hampshire. They capped off their day with a rousing game of ultimate frisbee. We are quite jealous of their awesome day!

 

New England Mountains & Coast B (NEMCB)

It was a successful day for NEMCB! Today, the group summited Mt. Pierce, part of New Hampshire’s famous Presidential Range. The hike put them above the clouds and it felt like they were on top of the world! Is there anything this group can’t tackle? We think not!

 

Colorado’s Rocky Mountains (CRM)

This group of superstars rafted the Poudre River today! They took off their hiking boots and donned their life jackets for a jam-packed day on the water. After an afternoon exploration around Fort Collins, the group headed back to their campsite for a delicious dinner and some well-deserved rest. Due to the spotty cell service during today’s adventures, we don’t have any photos of this awesome crew, but never fear – stay tuned for some photos tomorrow!

 

Caribbean Service (CS)

Today marked the last day for our Caribbean Service friends as they headed to the airport to say their goodbyes and part ways. While we are very sad to see them go, we could not be more impressed with all they accomplished over the past two weeks. Congratulations on a job well done, CS!

 

Maine Coast College Essay (MCCE)

What a big day for our MCCE’ers! After a productive writing session this morning, they headed to Bates College to meet with admissions staff for a college admissions workshop. They were able to put themselves in the shoes of an applicant and ask valuable questions straight from the source! And what’s better than some good ole fashioned s’mores to round off a fantastic day? Absolutely nothing, if you ask us!

 

Maine Coast Photo (MCP)

What didn’t this amazing crew of MCP students get up to today? This awesome group spent their morning participating in a workshop on portrait photography. Then, in the afternoon, they took their cameras on a sea kayaking adventure! They utilized their photography skills and explored some of the many islands that span the coast of Maine. Sounds like a wonderful day to me!

 

Maine’s Downeast Explorer (DEX)

Today is the first day of DEX’s kayaking adventure! Equipped with spray skirts, life jackets, and a boat load of smiles (hah, get it?), this crew was ready for a day out at sea. They’ll weave through some of Maine’s beautiful islands (the state boasts over 4,600 islands!) before paddling to their evening’s campsite. What a cool way to cruise into camp!

 

Vermont to Montreal A (VMA)

Exciting (though unsurprising) news: our VMA bikers made it to Montreal! They cruised through 37 miles of Canadian bike paths and countryside, the last leg of their eventful journey. This group cannot wait to celebrate their accomplishments during their final day in Montreal tomorrow!

 

Vermont to Montreal B (VMB)

The day that this group has been working towards has finally arrived: they made it to Montreal! Our VMBikers finished their final day of biking and are celebrating with a delicious dinner. They’ll be spending their final day together tomorrow in Montreal and we cannot wait to hear all of the fun stories from their adventures!

 

Costa Rica Mountains & Coast (CRMC)

Our CRMC crew sadly said their goodbyes today before heading home. We cannot believe that their time in Costa Rica has flown by so fast! We wish them all safe travels home and hope to see them back next summer!

 

California Mountains & Coast (CMC)

Surf’s up! Our CMC adventurers put on their wetsuits and hit the waves today in Santa Cruz. It was a beautiful and sunny day for our friends out in California, and what better way to spend it than surfing? They capped off their day with their mail stop, a fantastic dinner, and a sunset by the beach!

 

Alaska Mountains & Coast A (AKMCA)

Today was GLACIER DAY for AKMCA, and simply typing those words was enough to send shivers down this blog writer’s spine! The crew donned their crampons and ice tools and tackled the Exit Glacier today, a supremely surreal experience that is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure! 

 

Alaska Mountains & Coast B (AKMCB)

Our AKMCB crew had a wonderful time exploring the Native Alaskan village of Eklutna! Word has it that an epic rock-skipping competition took place, but we didn’t hear who took home the prize of best rock-skipper. It’s smiling faces all around as the group made their way back to camp for dinner and a good night’s sleep!

 

Northwest Explorer (NWX)

This morning our NWXers woke up on an island! They enjoyed a lovely scenic breakfast and waited for the tides to cooperate, then paddled off of the island to their destination – another island – before traveling back to the mainland. They can’t wait for tomorrow when they’ll have a relaxing morning before heading into Seattle for a celebratory afternoon exploring the city and enjoying their final dinner! Enjoy this lovely photo from yesterday’s kayaking adventure, when they watched the sunset at the top of Cypress Island!

 

Pacific Coast (PC)

Today is the day that this group has been dreaming of ever since their journey began waaaayyyy back in Eugene, Oregon: crossing the Golden Gate Bridge and arriving in sunny San Francisco! Our fearless bikers crushed their last day of riding in style by grabbing some much-needed fashion accessories at the thrift store before their victorious ride across the bridge. We could not be more excited for this group of all-stars and wish them all the best for their celebratory day of exploration!

 

Alps Explorer A (AXA)

Well, you know what they say – all good things must come to an end… and unfortunately, that’s also the case with our Alps Explorer trips. After an incredible European backpacking adventure, completing the Tour du Mont Blanc, countless hearty laughs, and plenty of Swiss culinary delights, our AXA team will be flying home tomorrow morning. They spent the day today exploring the beautiful city of Geneva and reminiscing on a fantastic trip and all the wonderful memories they made.

 

Alps Explorer B (AXB)

AXB can’t believe that it’s almost time to say goodbye, either! They enjoyed the heck out of their final day together, checking out all that Geneva has to offer before they celebrated their final dinner in style! After an incredible trip and making some awesome memories together, we know the group will look back fondly on the past few weeks!

 

Pyrenees Mountains and Coast (PMC)

It’s hard to believe, but today was our PMC’ers’ last day of the Carros de Foc! This adventurous crew wowed us with their positive attitude and broad smiles throughout the entirety of the challenging backcountry section, and they wrapped it all up with some more fabulous photos! This is a truly impressive achievement, and we can’t wait to hear all about the group’s celebratory festivities in Barcelona tomorrow!